Newborn kittens are very small, and many people think that they need extra nutrition and are afraid that they will go hungry, so they keep feeding them. In fact, feeding newborn kittens requires careful attention. How many times a day should they be fed, what nutrients should they eat, and how should they be fed are all important factors to ensure their healthy development. We cannot feed kittens blindly, otherwise it will lead to poor growth and development or various diseases. 
Kittens rely entirely on their mother's milk for the first few weeks of their lives and do not require additional food. The ideal growth rate during this period is 100 grams per week. However, due to factors such as nutrition, breed, and the mother cat's weight, there are significant individual differences. If breast milk supply is insufficient, a special milk substitute should be provided, given frequently throughout the day and night.
From 3-4 weeks of age, kittens begin to show interest in their mother's food. You can give them finely chopped soft food or dry food soaked in milk or water. The food can be the mother cat's or specially prepared for the kittens. Once kittens start eating solid food, the weaning process begins. Kittens gradually eat more and more solid food, and are fully weaned by 7-8 weeks of age.
Once kittens are weaned, they no longer need milk. As kittens' digestive tracts develop, their ability to digest lactose gradually weakens, and adult cats cannot digest lactose at all. If you want to provide milk to kittens, you should offer specially formulated lactose-free milk and provide fresh drinking water at all times.
Kittens of different ages require different feeding frequencies. Kittens aged 0-2 weeks should be fed every 2-3 hours, with one feeding at night. Kittens aged 2-3 weeks should be fed every 4 hours, with no nighttime feeding, but the interval between feedings should not exceed 6 hours. Kittens aged 4-6 weeks should be fed every 6 hours, with no nighttime feeding. During this period, kittens should be allowed to try eating some cat food on their own.
Once kittens are a bit older, between 2 and 5 months old, it's important to focus on nutritional supplementation. Since cats are carnivores, they require a significant amount of animal protein. In addition, insufficient calcium intake can lead to incomplete bone, teeth, and claw development; taurine deficiency can cause blindness or cardiovascular disease; and vitamin A deficiency can also cause visual impairment or deteriorating skin conditions. These nutrients should be increased. Kittens require 40% more calcium than adult cats during their developmental stages.
Because kittens require a variety of nutrients for development, feeding them only cat meat will lead to malnutrition. However, giving them excessive vitamins can cause poisoning. In the past, we often fed our cats leftovers at home, but back then, cats could catch insects outside to supplement their nutrition. Now, cats are mostly kept indoors, so owners need to be especially careful about their nutrition. Without proper nutritional knowledge, it's best not to prepare food for your cat. Feeding cats commercial cat food is a better way to promote their growth and health. It's recommended that cat owners choose different foods based on their cat's life cycle (juvenile stage, adulthood, gestation period, etc.).
Never overfeed a kitten. Kittens' digestive and absorption functions are not yet fully developed, and some are very greedy. Therefore, they are very prone to vomiting and diarrhea due to overeating. If treatment is not timely, they often die.
Don't let your cat eat the same cat food for too long. Try changing the flavor every month or two. You can also make some treats for your cat, but be careful to use less salt and mix it into their food so they can enjoy it. Be careful not to spoil them by feeding them too much. If they become picky eaters, it's very bad for their health and they'll be much harder to feed. Correcting a cat's picky eating habits is very difficult.
